LAKELAND, Fla. - For the first time this season, the Southeastern University softball earned a doubleheader sweep Tuesday afternoon. The Fire swept the Trinity Baptist Eagles, taking game one 15-0 before taking down TBC 7-0 in the series finale. SEU improved to 3-5 overall on the season.
GAME ONE:
It didn't take long for the Fire to get ahead, as in the first inning SEU tallied a total of four runs. At the beginning of the inning, the Fire took advantage of a couple of TBC defensive errors, putting Sam Holcomb on first and Whitney Purdy on second.
A groundout to second base from Bailee Moll brought home Holcomb. Then, Hannah Bonner hit a single up the middle to score Purdy, putting the Fire up by two.
Freshman Kaley Sarasty singled to right center field, advancing Bonner to second base. Again, the Fire capitalized on TBC mistakes, as both Kaley Sarasty and Bonner returned to home plate on a couple of errors. At the end of the first frame, the Fire led 4-0 against the Eagles.
The bottom of the second was a big one for the Fire as they scored eight runs on six hits, advancing their lead to 12-0.
The Fire were unable to bring in a run in the third, however would score the final three runs of the game in the fourth. Southeastern recorded another four hits in the inning.
Purdy, Bonner, Lauren Watters and Britt Robinson finished the first game with two hits each at two at bats. The Fire scored 15 on 15 hits, with 12 RBI's.
GAME TWO:
Freshman Megan Froehlich struck three of the first five Eagles she saw in two frames. In the top of the third, Froehlich had another amazing inning as she retired Trinity Baptist in order.
She and Kristyn Dexter worked a combined no-hitter with Froehlich striking out six and walking one over five innings of work to pick up her second victory.
The Eagles were able to keep the Fire quiet for the first two innings of game two. However, Robinson would get things going for the Fire in the bottom of the third, as she hit a double to the left side of the field.
Senior Holcomb hit an RBI single up middle field, bringing Robinson home and putting the Fire on the board. Another single, but to left field, hit by Purdy advanced Holcomb to second. With two players on base, third baseman Moll hit her third home run in the season, advancing the lead to 4-0.
More defensive errors by the Eagles helped Ramsey Sullivan and and Madison William score unearned runs. And after four innings of play, SEU led 6-0 against TBC.
In the bottom of the six, Peyton Varela started the inning with a double to left field. Ending the afternoon was Robinson, who hit an RBI single to left field bringing Varela to home plate.
Coach Kayla Watkins comments, "Before the first game, the team talked about controlling that first half defensive inning and then being able to jump out on them, and we did that. We put four up early, and I think that set the tone for the day."
Southeastern will be back in action on February 25th, as they head to Clermont, Fla. to play against Mount Vernon Nazarene and Point Park. Games are set to start at 2:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.
